My father is a doctor and my mother a nurse, and it was always my wish to be a physician from as far back as I can recall. My parents are the owners of a private medical clinic in India and I so I was exposed to a medical environment from an early age forward.

Fate has decreed that my ambition to practice would be frustrated for years, however, and only now do I find myself in a position to proceed. I studied Medicine in Moscow because of the excellent, worldwide reputation of the Academy that I attended and because the fees involved were within my modest means. When I returned to India from Russia in 2001, I was not allowed to practice because I did not hold a locally awarded medical degree. I took up a management post at my parents’ clinic intending to take the qualifying examination. However I married shortly after my return and my husband was working in the US and so I decided to postpone further studies until arriving in the US. My involvement with medical administration was very useful and helped me to more fully appreciate the importance of excellent medical administration.

I arrived in the US in 2003 intending to complete the USMLE examinations and then seek a Residency in Internal Medicine. However my immigrant status prevented me from taking up employment and I decided to start a family and postpone my career for the time being. Unfortunately, I suffered two miscarriages with related medical problems and it was suspected that this was related to a hormonal imbalance. Eventually I gave birth to a son in 2005 and a daughter in 2007. My son began to suffer severe eczema and secondary infections and caring for him again delayed my return to medicine.

I finally completed the USMLE in 2010. Although my absence from medicine has been quite lengthy, I should point out that my own medical problems as well as that of my son have provided me with very useful insights into the problems of my future patients and their feelings. I have also been very disciplined in keeping abreast of medical developments through, for instance, regularly reading medical periodicals, accessing relevant internet sites and seeking regular updates from my father and friends who are practicing in various countries. I am currently a volunteer in the outpatient clinic of pediatrics and psychiatry under supervision and I now feel sufficiently familiar with the US medical environment to make the ‘next step’.

My deep passion for Internal Medicine took off during my rotations. I particularly adore the great diversity of challenges and the broad range of patient types, as well as the chance to treat the patient from ‘start to finish’. I think the need for excellent diagnostic skills is especially salient in IM and I feel that I have a special gift in this area. I am also extremely excited about the chance to assist patients by giving them preventative advice. It is my hope to assist in research and my particular interest is in the area of DM-Type 1. Once I have completed a successful residency, I intend to pursue a Fellowship.

I am aware that there will be many well qualified applicants for residencies in this popular specialty. However I do believe that I am an excellent candidate. My own and my son’s problems have given me clear insights into the feelings of anxious parents and patients; I hold an excellent degree from a prestigious university; and I can bring unusual insights from my experiences working in Russia. My main recommendation is my deep desire to acquire the skills and knowledge to enable me to be an excellent Internist.